Hydrogen-gas generator.



e. F. JAUBERT. HYDROGEN GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1907.

. Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

943,02 2..- v H E INVENTOR WITNESSES: I

G. F. JAUBERT. HYDROGEN GAS GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG..22, 1907.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909. V 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' INVENTOR: %7 /////Z% B 7&

WITNESSES:

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

GEORGE FRANCOIS J A'UBERT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

HYDROGEN-GAS ennnna'ron.

943,022. spe fi n mm Pa n Patented Dec. 14, 1909. Application filed August 22, 1907. Serial No. 889,721.

To all whom it may concern: gas generators n, a, n n, n and n", pref- Be it known that I, GEORGE FRANQOIS J AU- erably arranged in two rows of three in the BERT, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, residdirection of the length of the carriage in ing at 155 Boulevard Malesherbes, Parls, such a manner as to leave a free passage 60 France, have invented certain new and usein the middle. These vertlcal generators or ful Improvements in Hydrogen-Gas Gem cylinders have an ,upper yoke-and-screw erators, of which the following is a specificlosing device f and a conical discharging cation. v hole at the lower'part which is closed by a This invention has for its object means for plug 9 at the end of a rod h which passes the manufacture and purification of gas or through the entire height of the generator. vapor in a dry and cold stateby means of the On this rod, perforated washers or plates 2', decomposing action of an appropriate chemof sheet metal for example, are adapted to ical substance liberating much heat in the sllde; they are intended to divide the mass presence of water -.or other appropriate of'calcium hydrid or other pure or mixed 7 liquid. a chemlcal products liberating hydrogen in The inventor has noticed, articularly in contact with water. From the bottom of the the industrial preparation of hydrogen by water reservoir 1) there proceeds a collector means of the action of water upon calcium WlllCll unites the bases of the generators by hydrid and hydrids in general, the producbranches is, 70, k k and each contion of a considerable rise of temperature talning a valve or door m, m, m m m causing the vaporization of the water which and m, adapted to be operated from the results in an excessive consumption of the platformby the vertical rods 2, z, 2 2 a water employed, and further in the formaand z wlth operating wheels. Each genertion of hydrogen charged with a large quanator, n for example, is connected to the folg tity of water vapor which is prejudicial in lowing generator n by a gas liberation pipe inflating balloons for example. 0 proceeding from the head of the said gen- The invention has for its object means eratonn and terminating at the base of the for obviating these defects. following generator 11/. Each of these pipes The accompanying drawin s show by way 0, 0, 0 0 0" and 0 contains a three-way 35 of example a constructional orm of the apcock 1? from which there proceeds a pipe 9 paratus mounted upon a carriage and inpassln to a gas collecting tube 1" which extended for producing hydrogen for filling tends rom the rear to the front of the carballoons in the field. riage underneath the platform and is bent Figure 1 represents a side elevation and at the front part as shown in Fig. 1 and partial section through the apparatus. Fig. then branches oil to two purifiers t, t.

2 represents a plan view of the same. Fig. These purifiers inolose substances absorbing 3 represents a cross-section through the apthe impurities which the gas may contain, paratus on line 33 of Fig, 2. ammonia in particular. Each purifier is The process consists in successively and connected to a discharge pipe, of which one progressively attacking a chemical substance is shown at u, entering the water reservoir or a series of difierent chemical substances, 6 at the bottom of which each of these pipes first of all by the water (or other liquid), forms a coil, as '0, which coils terminate and then by the mixture of the water vapor outside the water reservoir 1) in gas outlet produced and the gases liberated; for the sockets a w. purpose of increasing the proportion of the The operation is as follows :All the liberated gases, in proportion as the amount cocks being closed, the water reservoir 1) of water and water vapor diminishes, and is filled and the generators are charged, the thus obtaining dry gas or vapors adapted to emptying plug 9 being replaced and the be readily cooled owing to the absence of lower plate or washer i being passed onto 10:; any condensable humid vapor. the rod h. The first charge, of calcium The device is employed as follows :-The hydrid for example, is supplied, the second front platform of the frame a of the car- Washer 11 is placed in position and upon this riage carries a water reservoir 1), the rear a second charge is placed and so on in sucplatform carries a box 0 containing a supcession until the generator is filled. The ply of calcium hydrid for example. In the cover f. is then applied so that it forms a center of the frame there are suspended the good joint whereupon the following generators are charged in the same manner. The

cock 3) is arranged in such a manner as to isolate the generator n from the collector r and place it in communication with the fol-.

.ture attacks the fresh calcium-hydrid which absorbs the water vapor, liberating a fresh quantity of gasjwhich proceeds to the collector 1' through the corresponding branch. From this collector r the gas passes through the purifiers t and vt, thence throu h the pipes u to the coils 'v' and then to t e 'gas outlet sockets :v and :0. When the hydrid in the generator 11. is exhausted, it'ls completely isolated by acting upon the door m, and the cock 2. The generators n and n are then placed in communication, the latteris caused to communicate with the gas collector after it has been appropriately 1S0- lated from the following generator 11,. Water is admitted through the door m to the generator n andthe apparatus operates with these two generators n and n as before. This procedure is continued with the remaining generators in succession. The generators as they become exhausted may be emptied, and a fresh charge introduced, without interrupting the cycle of operations.

The advantages are as follows :--The successive action or attack upon the calcium hydrid by the water serves to produce an absolutely dry gas with a quantity of water approximating the quantlty theoretically necessary. As the specific heat of a gas in a dry state is very low,'the simple passa e I of this gas through the coils 4; will be su cient to lower the temperature to an extent permitting of the immediate untilization of the gas. The preliminary production of water vapor in the first generator gives risein the following generator, before hydrogen is liberated, to an expulsion of the atmospheric air which might present dangers of explosion' when certain products are em loyed. The division of the mass of hydrid 1n each of the generators by the perforated plates or washers 71 serves to avo1d any projection of material, and also to cause the residues to descend naturally to the base of the generator. The arrangement in battery permits of obtaining a continuous production, as it is possible during the course of the operations to 're-charge the exhausted generators as and when required. Starting is very speedily effected, as it is only necessary that two generatorsshould be charged to enable operations to be commenced.

It will of course be understood that the process may be carried into practice by means of a fixed. installation or of a sin le -generator"in the form of a column provi ed lates u on which the substance, calcium ydrid or example, traversed by the mixture of water vapor and hydrid produced at the base of the column, is placed. It is also possible to utilize an arrangement presenting the form of horizontal stage ovens with partitions or otherwise and the successive enerators may receive chemical products 0% different natures.

The invention is ap licable to the preparation of hydrogen and of all gases or vapors obtainable from the decomposition of all chemical substances capable of liberating the said gases or va ors, with rise of'temperature, under the eoomposing action of water or of another liquid liberating vapors duri the re-action.

aving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what' 'manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality ofv generating compartments, a liquid-supply pipe having a branch connecting with each generating compartment, a shut-ofi cock in each branch, a leading-oil pipe for the gases and vapors extending from each compartment tothe initial portion of the next succeeding compartment, a gas-collecting pipe, a branch from each leading-01f pipe connectin with the gas-collecting pipe, and a shut-o cock in each of said branches whereby the generatin compartments may be connected, isolate and operated in the manner described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of generating compartments, a liquid-supply pipe having a branch connecting with each generating compartment, a shut-ofi' cock in each branch, a leading-01f pipe for the gases and vapors extending from each compartment to the initial portion of the next succeeding compartment, a gas-collecting pipe, a branch from each leading-oil pipe connecting with v ing a casing have a discharge opening at one end and a removable cover for the other end, a plug for the discharge opening, a rod ex-, tending from the plu into the compartment, and perforated p ates slidable on said rod for dividing the mass of material in the generating compartment; substantially as escribed. Y

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a generating compartment comprising a vertical casing having a central discharge opening at one end, and a removable cover for the other end, a plug supported in the discharge opening, a rod extending from the plug axially of the generating compartment, and perforated plates slidable on said rod for dividing the mass of material in the generating compartment, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a generating compartment, comprising a vertical casing n, having a central discharge opening closed by the plug 9 at its lower end, a removable cover at its upper end, the rod it supported in'the plug 9, and the perforated plates z' slidable on said rod for dividing the mass of material in the generating compartment; substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a vehicle carrying two separated rows of generating compartments, a storage receptacle for the material to be used in the generating compartment, and a liquid-reservoir, in combination with liquid distribut- 7. In an ap aratus of the character described, a vehicle carrying two separated rows of generating compartments, a storage receptacle 0 at one end of said rows, a liquid-reservoir b at the other end of said rows, in combination With the liquid-distributing pipes and gas-collecting pipes communicating with each generatin coniartment, the main gas-collecting pipe belng divided and connected to purifiers, and pipes leading from the purifiers and coiled in the liquid-reservoir; substantially as de-' scribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto placed my hand at Paris this tenth day of August 1907.

GEORGE FRANQOIS JAUBERT. In the presence of two Witnesses:

HANSON C. CoxE, ALBERT NUNias. 

